Derby Talk

Derby Talk is a forum for Pinewood Derby, Awana Grand Prix, Kub Kar Rally, Shape N Race Derby, Space Derby, Raingutter Regatta and other similar races where a child and an adult work together to create a race vehicle and a lot of fun and memories

I have used these inspection boxes for running 3 derbies in the last 2 years.

They speed up the process of inspection tremendously and I don't have to rely on an inspector eyeing something with a ruler. Also results in much less "handling" of the car by the inspector to check all the metrics.

If they are off by 1/32 or 1/16, it doesn't concern me. I don't think anybody would risk going over 7" on purpose.

knotthed wrote:I have always considered the 7" max to be the max, do others think there is some acceptable value over or around that 7" number?

We limit the distance from the nose (starting pin) to the rear axle (back edge of track). But we don't limit the overall length of the car. Some kids like to come up with designs that have things sticking out in back, like a carrot with green chenille wire for the leaves. As long as it fits the track and doesn't interfere with anything, it races.

gpraceman wrote:So, why did it change to 7"'? Was it due to track dimensions? BSA wanted to get more kits out of the wood stock? Some other reason?

My guess: 7" is a nice round number that is easy for a kid to gauge with a ruler. (A change from 7-3/4" to 7-3/8" might have motivated by BSA economics, e.g., get more out of a length of lumber, smaller packaging, etc. )